Union home minister Rajnath Singh and national security advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval Wednesday arrived in Kashmir to review the conduct of ongoing annual Amarnath pilgrimage and to seek fresh feedback on “possible challenges on militancy front”.
The home minister and NSA chaired a review meeting each at Rajbhavan and Hari Niwas. The home minister’s visit comes four days ahead of the second anniversary of slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani that falls on July 8. Top security officials are of the belief that militants, in a bid to show their presence, may carry out “planned strikes by or before July 8”.
According to security officials, the home minister will visit the cave shrine of Amarnath on Thursday and have a glimpse of holy Shiv Lingam. On his return, he will chair a high-level security meeting in Srinagar before leaving to Delhi.
“It’s a multi-purpose visit of home minister and NSA,” said a top security official on the condition of anonymity.
Singh, soon after arriving in Srinagar, drove to Rajbhavan to meet Governor NN Vohra. All the Governor’s advisors besides top officials of the state administration and police were present. The home minister was accompanied by home secretary Rajiv Gauba and Doval.
The home minister’s visit assumes significance given the fact that United Jehad Council led by Syed Salahudin has announced that July 8 would be observed as the second anniversary of Burhan in the both parts of divided Kashmir. The Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) has also called for a shutdown to mark Burhan’s anniversary and also a public meeting at Tral, the home town of the slain commander.
“At the Rajbhavan, the home minister was briefed by the Governor about the ongoing Amarnath pilgrimage and the security measures taken by the state,” the official said. Jammu and Kashmir government has been under Governor’s rule since June 20 after the fall of the PDP-BJP government.
A Rajbhavan spokesman said that the home minister, who arrived on a two-day visit here, met Governor Vohra and discussed various important issues related to security management, implementation of development programs and “positive engagement” of youth in the state.
“The Governor also briefed the home minister about the ongoing Amarnath Yatra,” the spokesman said.
A source, privy to the meeting, said that the home expressed his grief over the deaths of three pilgrims caused by the landslides at Baltal, Sonmarg.
The second meeting, held at Hari Niwas, was chaired by the NSA Doval. The meeting was attended by top security officials of the state and the Governor-led administration.
“In the meeting, the NSA sought details of the challenges faced by the state on militancy front and the preparedness of the forces if militants launch any attacks on Burhan anniversary eve. The top security officials briefed Doval about the alertness being maintained by forces on ground to meet various security challenges,” the source said. In the meeting, the rising number of local boys joining militant ranks was also discussed with many officials terming it as a concern. “The NSA stressed on the positive engagement of youth in various sports and other activities to keep them away from militancy,” said an official, who was present in the meeting.
Despite the killing of 220 militants last year under ‘Operation All Out’, including 15 top commanders, police say the number of active militants at present is still between 265 and 270. The number of local militants is 160 and in the past two months, 26 youth have joined militant groups including Al-Badr, Jaish-e-Muhammad and Hizbul Mujahideen.
In the meeting, the NSA emphasised on maintaining a high alert to thwart any possible strikes by militants on the eve of Burhan’s second anniversary. The official said that the Doval was also briefed about the security measures taken for secure Amarnath pilgrimage this year to which he expressed his satisfaction. It may be recalled that for the first time, unprecedented security measures are in place for the smooth conduct of annual pilgrimage.
This is the first visit of home minister and the NSA to Kashmir after he called off month long ceasefire on June 17. A source said that the home minister will leave for Amarnath cave shrine tomorrow and he will also chair second high-level security meeting in Srinagar in the afternoon.